Pipe railing attaching fittings



APM 7, 1959 A. A. WAGNER 2,881,916

PIPE RAILING ATTACHING FITTINGS FiledApril 5, 195e INVENTOR.

gaaf/f A. #WMA/Ez L YM United States Patent4 PIPE RAILING ATTACHINGFITTINGS Adolph A. Wagner, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to R & B

Wagner Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsm ApplicationApril 5, 1956, Serial No. 576,399

9 Claims. (Cl. 287-23) This invention relates to improvements inpipe-railingattaching fittings.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a tting between apipe-railing post and a Stringer flange which improves the mechanicalinterconnection of the post to the Stringer and improves the appearanceof the connection. The fittings of the present invention may beprefabricated by mass production techniques and hence supplied atrelatively low cost. The structure of the tting is desirably such thatit iS universally applicable to connect pipe-railing posts either at aright angle to the Stringer ilange or at an inclined angle to theStringer flange.

A desirable feature of certain fitting embodiments of my inventionresides in the substantial alignment of the skirt portion of the fittingwith the web of the Stringer. The visual effect is unitary and theappearance of the connection enhanced. The width of the fitting over asubstantial portion of its length is desira'bly substantially equal tothe width of the Stringer flange, thus further enhancing the unitaryappearance of the connection.

In the fitting of my invention a superior mechanical union between thepost and Stringer is achieved. This is at least partly attributed to mystructure in which the plate portion of the fitting is spaced by itsskirt from the ange of the Stringer. Accordingly, the post is welded tothe plate at a point spaced from the end of the post which abuts theflange.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent froman examination of the following disclosure in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of a pipe railing and channeledstringers to which the pipe-railing posts are connected by fittingsaccording to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the connection shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross section similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modifiedembodiment of the invention in which the pipe post is connected at aninclined angle to the Stringer.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the fitting used in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing my tting applied to aplate Stringer having a bolted ange.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device of Fig. 8. I p

In Fig. 1 generally conventional pipe-railing construction isillustrated, including a hand rail 10, a guard rail 11, posts 12 and 13,a platform channeled Stringer 14 and a stairway channeled Stringer 15.The platform oor is indicated at 8 and the stairway steps at 9. The post12 is at a right angle to the upper ange 16 of chanueled Stringer 14 andthe post 13 is at an inclined angle to the upper ange 17 of channeledStringer 15. As best show-n in Fig. 4 the Stringer 14 further comprisesa web 18 and the Stringer 15 further comprises a web 19.

To connect the post 12 with the ange 16 of Stringer 14, I provide afitting or flange comprising a deck plate 21 having a laterally enlargedcentral portion 22 provided with a circular opening 26. The margins ofcentral portion 22 are desirably oblong and preferably elliptical inoutline.

At opposite sides of the central portion 22 the deck plate has endportions 23 with rectilinear, parallel side margins spaced a distanceSubstantially equal to the width of the Stringer flange 16. The ends 20of the plate 21 are desirably semicircular as illustrated.

The margins of the plate are provided with a depending skirt 32conforming to the contour of the plate margins. Accordingly the skirthas rectilinear portions 24, curved side portions 25 and semicircularend portions as best Shown in Fig. 5. The Skirt is desirably fabricatedin a stamping operation, the deck plate and skirt being integral and ofsubstantially the Same thickness.

The post 12 extends through the opening 26 and its end abuts theStringer flange 16, as shown in Fig. 3. The post 12 is welded to themargins of the opening 26 as indicated at 29.

The deck plate is further provided with apertures 27 near its ends toreceive bolts 28 which removably connect the fitting to the Stringerflange 16. The bolt holes 27 are desirably positioned so that peripheralportions of the bolt heads 31 will align with portions of the skirt 32,thereby Yto transmit pressure of the bolt directly to the skirt andagainst the ange 16. Other peripheral portions of the bolt heads 31 bearon portions of the plate 21 extending from the inner surface of theskirt and portions 24 toward the opening 26 for the post 12 so that thebolt heads also seat on plate portions spaced from the skirt.

As best shown in Fig. 5' the attached iitting blends smoothly with theStringer to give the connection a unitary appearance. The rectilinearportions 24 of the Skirt side wall 32 parallel the exposed face of web18 and desirably align therewith. From Fig. 4 it Will be noted that theopposite rectilinear side Wall 33 of the skirt also is parallel to theedge of the ilange 16 and desirably aligns therewith. The curvedportions 25 of the Skirt may overhang the edges of flange 16, as shownin Fig. 4.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I disclose the interconnection of pipe post 13 with theilange 17 of inclined stair Stringer 15. The parts of the fitting aresubstantially identical with those of the fitting previously describedand have been given the same reference characters. The only differencebetween the fitting Shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and the tting shown in Figs.2-5 is the provision for a post-receiving aperture 35 which iselliptical in outline, instead of being circular in outline.Accordingly, the post 13 may be received through the opening 35 at aninclined angle to the ange 17 of the Stringer 15.

Note that in the fitting of Figs. 6 and 7 the elliptical opening 35 iscomplementary to the elliptical side walls 25 of skirt 32 andcomplementary to the elliptical side margins 22 of the plate. Forconvenience in fabrication the fitting may be standardized forfabrication of the plate margin 22 and skirt portion 25 in oblong orelliptical outline. Either a circular opening 26 or an ellipticalopening 35 may then be punched in the deck plate The centerline of theholes for bolts 42 is spaced laterally from flange 39 a distancesubstantially equal to the spacing from the centerline of nut 43 to oneof its flat sides. Accordingly, flat Sides of the respective nuts 43will lock against the flange 39 and the nuts need not be held whiletightening the bolts 42.

The same relation is true of nuts 44 for bolts 45 which fasten thefitting 21 to the flange 39. Respective flat sides of the nuts 44 lockagainst the flange 38.

The respective nuts 43, 44 function as gussets or braces between theflanges 38, 39 of bracket 37, thus eliminating need for any otherbracing means therebetween. For this purpose the respective bolt and nutsets 42, 43 and 45, 44 are staggered longitudinally of the bracket 37 Sothat each nut 43, 44 Seats snugly in the corner between flanges 38, 39.The flanges 38, 39 are desirably at exactly 90 and there iS no fillettherebetween. Accordingly, the respective nuts 43, 44 have surfaceswhich Seat intimately against both flanges to serve as bracingtherebetween.

The fitting 21 iS positioned on the flange 38 in Substantially the Samemanner as on flange 16 shown in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. A fitting for connecting a pipe-railing post to a Stringer flange,said fitting comprising an elongated plate having end portions withparallel sides spaced a diS- tance approximately equal to the Width ofsaid flange and a laterally enlarged center portion wider than saidflange and having curved side portions which merge with said parallelsides, and a depending marginal Skirt integral with said plate andextending at a right angle thereto for engagement with said Stringerflange, and an aperture formed in the enlarged portion of said plate andadapted to receive said post.

2. The device of claim l in which said plate iS provided with bolt holesnear its ends, and bolts therethrough having heads extending laterallyfrom said holes, portions of said bolt heads bearing on the skirt andportions of said bolt heads bearing on plate portions spaced from theskirt.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pipepost and a Stringer having a side wall and a flange, of a fitting forconnecting the post to the flange and comprising an elongated platehaving end portions with parallel, rectilinear side portions spaced adistance approximately equal to the width of said flange and a laterallyenlarged center portion wider than said flange and having curved Sideportions which merge with said rectilinear side portions, a dependingmarginal skirt integral with said plate and extending at a right anglethereto for engagement with said Stringer flange, said skirt havingparallel rectilinear and curved portions corresponding to the Sideportions of the plate, said plate being provided with bolt holes nearits ends and bolts through said holes and connecting Said fitting tosaid flange with the rectilinear side portions at one side of Said plateand skirt substantially aligned with the Stringer side wall, said platebeing provided with an opening in its said enlarged central portion,said post extending through said opening with its end abutting theStringer flange, the side wall of the post spaced from its end beingconnected to said plate about said opening.

4. The device of claim 3 is which the curvedV side portions of the plateand skirt are generally elliptical, said opening being elliptical inoutline to receive the pipe post at an angle to said plate, portions ofsaid bolt heads bearing on the skirt and portions of said bolt headsbearing on plate portions spaced from the skirt.

5. The device of claim 3 in which the curved side portions of the plateand Skirt are generally elliptical, said opening being circular inoutline to receive the pipe post at substantially a right angle to saidplate, portions of said bolt heads bearing on the skirt and portions ofsaid bolt heads bearing on plate portions spaced from the Skirt.

6. A fitting for connecting a pipe-railing post to a Stringer flange,said fitting comprising an elongated plate having end portions withparallel sides spaced a distance approximately equal to the width ofsaid flange and a laterally enlarged center portion having curved sideportions which merge with said parallel sides, and a depending marginalskirt integral with said plate and extending at a right angle theretofor engagement with said Stringer flange, and an aperture formed in theenlarged portion of Said plate and adapted to receive Said post, saidStringer comprising a plate and said flange being part of a brackethaving another flange in face relation to the plate, rsaid flanges beingdisposed at a 90 angle, means bolting the respective flanges to theplate and to the fitting, said means including a nut having one surfacefiat against one flange and another surface flat against the otherflange to mutually brace said flanges in 90 relation.

7. The device of claim 6 in which said means further comprises one Setof nuts and bolts for one flange and another set of nuts and bolts forthe other flanges, said sets being staggered longitudinally of thebracket for noninterference of their respective nuts.

S. A fitting adapted to connect a pipe-railing post to a Stringerflange, an elongated plate having a peripheral skirt adapted forabutment on the Stringer flange adjacent the ends of the fitting andhaving an enlarged central portion extending beyond the edges of theflange, Said plate having an opening to receive the post in closefittingrelation for welding of the post periphery to the plate and having boltholes adapted to receive bolts for connecting the fitting to theStringer flange, the bolt holes being adjacent the ends of the fittingfor overlying the skirt by the bolt heads for transmitting bolt pressuredirectly to the Skirt.

9. A fitting adapted to connect a pipe-railing post to a Stringerflange, an elongated plate having a peripheral skirt adapted forabutment at the end portions thereof only on the Stringer flange, Saidplate having an opening to receive the post in close-fitting relationfor welding of the post periphery to the plate and having a bolt holeradapted to receive a bolt for connecting the fitting to the Stringerflange, the skirt comprising end portions and rectilinear Side portionsfor bearing on the Stringer and laterally enlarged central portionswider than the Stringer flange whereby pressure of the bolt on thefitting acts through the end and Side portions of the fitting skirt andthe fitting-post weld is free from Stresses due to bolt pressures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

